Radical Pragmatism and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

With AIPAC meeting and Obama and Clinton addressing it, the reality of the Palestinian territories still remain the undiscussed elephant in the room. We talk about a two state solution, but is that possible? If so, how do we move forward? That is the question the ever observant Tom Friedman addresses. Friedman points out the issues that so complicate the debate, and is willing to point out Israel's complicity.

He writes of his recent trip around the West Bank:

The West Bank today is an ugly quilt of high walls, Israeli checkpoints, “legal” and “illegal” Jewish settlements, Arab villages, Jewish roads that only Israeli settlers use, Arab roads and roadblocks. This hard and heavy reality on the ground is not going to be reversed by any conventional peace process. “The two-state solution is disappearing,” said Mansour Tahboub, senior editor, at the West Bank newspaper Al-Ayyam.

Calling for a radical pragmatism to deal with this issue, one that has seen all energy for a solution dissipate, he writes:

Why we need a radical departure is obvious: the business-as-usual course that Israelis and Palestinians are on right now does not have enough energy or authority to produce a solution. With the encouragement of the Bush administration, Israel and the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank are negotiating a draft peace treaty that supposedly will be put on the shelf, until the Palestinians have enough capability to implement it. I seriously doubt that the parties will reach an agreement, let alone have the energy to implement it.

He offers three central problems that complicate changing the dynamic:

1. Lack of hope and trust (on both sides)
2. The success of the Wall in shutting out suicide bombers coming from the West Bank has made many Israeli's complacent about the need to address the situation.
3. The final form of energy shortage is the dismal shape of the political systems on both sides. Neither side has sufficient strength to pursue this issue. Most problematic on the Palestinian side is Abbas's inability to take control of the situation on the West Bank -- Friedman's solution is to invite Jordan to step in and help with the creation of a partnership that will work.

I think Friedman might be on to something -- and we need to get busy quick!